Here are some pattern numbers from Winchester’s Drylok Super-X Steel and Elite Blind Side Hex Steel loads to provide a comparison on their patterning performance.

All patterns were shot on the same day with a 12-gauge 3-inch Remington 870 Special Purpose with 28-inch barrel and factory flush Rem-chokes (pattern average of five, 30-inch post-shot scribed circle, yardage taped muzzle to target, in-shell pellet count average of five, and true choke constriction from bore gauge).

First things first, I patterned two different factory flush modified Rem-chokes, one has .016-inch constriction and the other has .018-inch constriction as measured with a bore gauge.

As you can see from the pattern numbers, both loads were able to exceed Roster/CONSEP minimum lethal mallard killin’ pattern density at the tested 40 yards with all chokes except the Blind Side Hex Steel load with the IC choke. And, the lighter 1 ¼-ounce load with fewer spherical steel pellets actually put more pellets in the down range patterns with all chokes tested. When comparing the pattern numbers and pattern percentages, it does look as though the Hex Steel cubic-shaped pellets tend to open patterns.

Good information, as always, thanks! I've been planning to test some Blind Side, just as a matter of satisfying my curiosity. What I'm planning on is setting up a series of targets from 15 to 50 yards at 5 yard intervals and firing a shot to measure the actual pattern bloom. Then do the same with a conventional load. My guess is that inside of 25 yards the Blind Side would be too tight to be effective. Anything that it hits will be unfit for furhter use. I also thing that beyond 40 yards, the Blind Side pattern will degrade quite quickly.

I'd also like to have a look at the side by side comparison of penetration at 35 to 50 yards. Typically, a standard #2 launched at comparable velocities will have no trouble with penetration on large ducks out to 50 yards and a bit beyond. I believe that just as the Blind Side's shape causes it to slow faster in the open air, the same effect will be observed in flesh.

As a side note, the BS cubic-shot pellets measured an average width between the flats of almost .130 inches, the diameter of a No. 4 shot, and the width from corner to corner averaged just shy of .160 inches, the diameter of a No. 1 pellet.

And, the BS pellets had an average weight of 3.39 grains/pellet while the #2 Drylok steel pellets averaged 3.47 grains /pellet.

Its pretty obvious that blind side is Winchester's attempt to answer federal's Blackcloud. I can't imagine that blind side would pattern well. I have used alot of black cloud and though its not my favorite shell, it definatly knocks the snot out of birds. I think blind side is a gimmick.

Its pretty obvious that blind side is Winchester's attempt to answer federal's Blackcloud. I can't imagine that blind side would pattern well. I have used alot of black cloud and though its not my favorite shell, it definatly knocks the snot out of birds. I think blind side is a gimmick.

Just curious, would you expect to see any difference in patterning and/or killing performance if the BC load comprised only rounded shot or only flite-stopper pellets?

Heck, the Xpert Steel load started out with 30 fewer in-shell pellets but still managed to registered higher pattern counts than the Blind Side Hex Steel load in all chokes except the IC. And, the Xpert loads registered higher pattern percentages than the Blind Side Hex Steel through all chokes tested.

I did shoot a few decoying mallards with the BS load. All shots were inside of 40 yards and I tried to not be anymore selective that I normally am. That said, I always trying to get a good reliable shot that I think I can make before attempting it, and then there are flaring-away shots that follow. I killed 10 mallards for the 13 shells I fired on two hunts.

I didn't notice anything more devistating about this ammo than normal spherical steel, If I felt good about the shot the duck died.

I'm certain that we can agree Winchester did the necessary research before introducing cubed shot, and I too believe it was in competition with Federal BC. Pretty much another gimmick aimed at marketing.My hunting partner tries everything new to the market and bought a box of #2 BlindSide and found his results below his standard of kill shots,,, poor patterns. Logically speaking.... I can't see how a cube shape could fly as true as a round shape, especially in the weather/wind conditions of most good waterfowl hunts.I've found that in my shooting of geese the Dryloc Supreme BB patterns best out of my Inv + tubes and crushes the birds, so I've no intention of buying/trying Blind Side. I'm also somewhat concerned that the Supreme will possibly become extinct....(if it hasn't already been decided) and all due to marketing gimmicks....Hope not!